A movie with a big happy face, “Liberal Arts,” sees actor-writer-director Josh Radnor leaning on the sitcom-inflected tendencies that typified his debut, “Happythankyoumoreplease.” Adding an aspect of sylvan academia to the first film’s Gotham setting, Radnor plays a thirtysomething school admissions adviser ready for change, which he finds on a trip back to his alma mater. Containing the requisite number of audience-pleasing scenes that will make this a hot Sundance bidding item with indie-centric distribs, the pic will at least secure Radnor’s next multihyphenate project.

Radnor’s writing is very aware of its audience – how long it’s willing to wait between laughs, how to bolster the comedy with just enough serious incidents and lines, and how to keep things breezy and geared toward a “life is wonderful” conclusion. This makes the film feel perilously close to widescreen sitcom, as do montages of New York set to Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony.

Jesse (Radnor) gets a chance to flee the big city when he receives an invite from his favorite professor at Ohio’s Kenyon College, Peter (Richard Jenkins), to attend his retirement dinner. Peter’s friends soon introduce Jesse to their 19-year-old daughter, Elizabeth – nicknamed Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen) – who’s attending Kenyon and specializing in improv theater. Jesse is struck by Zibby’s take on improv, in which a performer must always say “yes” to a suggestion.

Through a series of scenes, including Peter’s pathetic retirement party and Jesse’s unlikely encounters with manic-depressive intellectual Dean (John Magaro) and painfully kooky Nat (Zac Efron), a blissful slacker full of aphorisms, “Liberal Arts” draws a slick, simplistic overview of college life, to which Jesse feels nostalgically drawn. He also feels he should be over it, but before he heads back to New York, Zibby sends him off with a CD of her favorite classical music and an agreement to send handwritten letters to each other.

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Another highly anticipated film is hitting the streets of L.A. this weekend to film additional scenes or re-shoots.

As we’ve reported, “The Avengers,” “Looper,” “The Five-Year Engagement,” and “Rock of Ages” – which all filmed in other cities and all wrapped production last year – have all been spotted filming either additional scenes or re-shoots in Los Angeles this month.

Now, it looks like there is one more movie to add to that list. It’s been brought to our attention that the company Fishwrap Productions has issued permits to film scenes for “The Paperboy” in L.A. this weekend.

We confirmed that Fishwrap was the name of the production company for the Zac Efron film when it was shooting in New Orleans last summer.

The movie, which is expected to hit theaters on Nov. 23, is about a reporter who returns to his Florida hometown to investigate a case involving a death row inmate.

“The Paperboy” is filming at the following locations on Saturday and Sunday:
830 Traction Ave, Los Angeles on 1/28, 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM,
1333-1335 Willow St., Los Angeles, 1/29/2012, 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM.

[Source]

Zac Efron was spotted leaving a grocery store in Los Angeles on January 20th, 2012. Enjoy the pics! Thanks so much to Vanessa World for these images!

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• [1/20] Leaving Grocery Store In Los Angeles (x33)

D Films has picked up “The Paperboy,” the upcoming film from Precious director Lee Daniels that stars Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey and John Cusack. The indie distributor acquired the exclusive Canadian rights in all media to the drama about two brothers investigating a case involving a death row inmate from Millennium Films.

“The Paperboy,” which is slated for a release this year, is produced by Daniels, Nu Image, Inc./Millennium Films and Benaroya Pictures. The Canadian deal was hammered out by D Films’ president and CEO Jim Sherry and Millennium Entertainment president of strategic planning and television David Sobieraj.
 [Source]

Zac Efron watched the National Football Conference Division Playoffs between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco, California, USA, 14 January 2012. Enjoy the pics!

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• [1/14] Watching Football Game In San Francisco (x9)

Does Taylor Swift have a new man in her life to write a song about? The 22-year-old singer had a romantic dinner date with actor Zac Efron, 24, at LA restaurant Pace on Jan. 6 — the same spot that they ate with Justin Bieber just days before.

“They were deep in conversation and very giggly,” a witness tells Us magazine. “They seemed very friendly.”

Taylor and Zac even drove to the dinner date together in an Audi that belongs to Zac, another source adds.

“Taylor thinks Zac’s cute,” a friend of Taylor’s shares.

In 2009 before Zac split from his girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens, he referred to Taylor as a “lovely girl, very beautiful.” Taylor in turn called Zac an “all-around amazing guy.”

Zac and Vanessa split in December 2010 — the same month that Taylor broke up with Jake Gyllenhaal.

According to sources, the dinner was strictly a friend thing. “They were in L.A. doing press stuff together [for Dr. Seuss' The Lorax," a source tells Us magazine. "And after they were done, they decided to grab dinner."

"They have been friends for a long time," agrees an insider.

"They are on totally different wave-lengths - no spark," says another source. "He's gorgeous, but that mutual attraction just isn't there. She can't force it." [Source]

Enjoy a brand new poster from Zac Efron’s upcoming movie, “The Paperboy.”

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• Posters (x1)

“The Lorax” is the latest movie based from Dr Seuss’s stories, and they just released the Dutch poster. It clearly shows the darling Lorax and shows off a few of the other characters as well. Of course, this poster is clearly written in Dutch, but it is probably appear the same as the US one with the only difference is that this was written in Dutch. The movie, which stars Zac Efron and Taylor Swift, will open nation wide on March 2 in the US, while it will open in Netherlands on April 11th. [Source]

Zac Efron was spotted leaving Margarita Mix Studios in Santa Monica on January 11th, 2012. Enjoy the pics!

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• [1/11] Leaving Margarita Mix Studios In Santa Monica (x7)

Longtime pals Zac Efron and Rumer Willis are taking their relationship to the next level, an insider tells Star. They celebrated their new status with a romantic Turks & Caicos getaway in late December.

“Zac had been trying to win back Vanessa Hudgens, but she’s moved on with Austin Butler,” as Star revealed.

Zac, 24, finally realized that the right woman had been there for him all along. “At first, they’d socialize in groups, then Rumer started going over to Zac’s L.A. house,” says the insider. “She’d decorate and make the place really home — then she began spending the night, and they’re acting like a couple. Zac told Rumer he’s developing strong feelings for her.”

The insider adds that he’s already in good with her folks, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore! [Source]